


Leave me to Dream

by n_cat18



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Abuse, Cinderella AU, Disney AU, Hurt/Comfort, I thought it really fit well with the story, M/M, OFC - Freeform, OMC - Freeform, Sad!Steve, The title is from an imagine dragons song, no pairings with any OCs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 17:21:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11086326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n_cat18/pseuds/n_cat18
Summary: Suddenly, Steve heard the tower bell and looked up scared.“What’s wrong?” Tony asked softly.“I...I have to go.”





	1. I Wanna Dream

**Author's Note:**

> This is, of course, a Cinderella AU where the main pairing is Stony. The next Disney AU I’m going to write will definitely be Stucky and then maybe Thundershield? I really like Steve ships. But this is what I decided to start with. I wrote it in about three or four days and edited it as I went though if anyone sees any mistakes I made feel free to point them out. This story does include pre-serum Steve though not all of them will.

Steve woke up on the floor by the fireplace shivering. He sat up and took a deep rattling breath rubbing the ashes from his hair. He smiled seeing the family dog had nuzzled up to his back in the night to help keep him warm. He looked outside and saw six inches of snow and sighed getting up he cracked his back. 

It hadn’t always been like this. Years and years ago, his parents had been alive and their love for him had been brighter than the sun and stars, but when he was a boy his father had been drafted into the war and had never come home. He was young, only five years old and remembered spending hours sitting on his mother's lap hugging her as she cried into her son's hair. His mother, bless her soul, was just as thin and sickly as he was now and with her husband gone, she had to work hard to support herself and her young son. The manor they had lived in fell into disrepair as they both worked hard to keep their heads above water. They lived, or more, survived for a decade before his mother fell fatally ill. She wrote to her brother begging him to come and take care of her son till he could marry. Her brother agreed only on the condition that he would receive the house and all their possessions upon his sister’s death. He didn’t care about Steve; hardly noticed the boy half the time until he realized Steve was an untapped resource. Since he was steve’s legal guardian now, he essentially had ownership over him. Free labor. Not that he could ever subjugate his own two children to that. He had a son and daughter; the daughter, patiens, was nicknamed Patty. And the son, Odium, was called Otis. Steve’s cousins hated him. Hated that, up until now, he had been living a relatively good life with a mother who loved him unconditionally. For them, seeing Steve suffer through his mother’s death was incredibly cathartic. Steve’s uncle, Morbus, had never cared about his sister or her son, he just loved that he now had a place to stay and dote on his own two children while leaving Sarah’s son to sleep among the relatively warm ashes in the winter and in the relatively cool basement in the summer. 

Steve pulled his thin clothes around his shoulders and began to prepare breakfast in the kitchen occasionally dropping scraps for the dog. He carried two trays on one arm and another in his other hand as he brought breakfast upstairs. Shivering, he tried not to drop the food knowing it would likely mean another slap across the face. He set the trays on the windowsill in front of the three bedrooms and brought them each their breakfast in bed one by one. Stepping over the mess in their rooms as best he could Otis and Patty both simply snored and rolled over but Morbus was already awake and wordlessly handed Steve a laundry list of chores to complete. Steve bowed his head and ducked out of the room with a sigh. The better days always included a wordless exchange of food for the list. He read over it and sighed he decided it would be best to go into town for that week's shopping first before Otis and Patty woke up and wanted someone to torment. It was early the first sign of daylight peeking over the mountains. Steve did his best to wipe the soot from his clothes and face and got on his horse to get the shopping done. 

As Steve rode into town he smiled seeing the baker, Sam, who was one of his closest friends. Sam smiled but the smile soon faded as he saw the soot still clinging to his hair. 

“Steve…” He said and Steve held a hand up 

“I know Sam, I know.” he sighed “I only sleep there because it's the warmest place in the house.” Sam shook his head. 

“You know you really ought to just leave you can work here with us, we’d love to have an extra hand in the bakery.” Steve smiled at that 

“Really a tempting offer but you know my uncle would just come barging in demanding for ‘that damn boy’ back and then he’d beat the shit out of me.” He said Sam shook his head 

“You know we’d never let him touch you.” 

“Yeah but the police would.” 

“Touche. So what do they want today?” Steve handed him a list and some money. Sam handed him a basket with two loafs of bread and secretly snuck a little piece of chocolate for Steve in the bottom. 

Steve thanked him as he left and went to the blacksmith next, a man named Bucky who had smithed himself his own metal arm when he had lost it in an accident. Sam, Bucky, and the seamstress, Natasha were his best and only friends. Bucky smiled at him. 

 

“Hey, Stevie!” He hugged him. 

“Hi Buck.” he smiled “How are you today?” 

“Oh well enough. What brings you here today? Another demand from that demon who calls himself your uncle?” Steve nodded smiling a little Bucky always had a different insult for Morbus when Steve came around. 

“Yeah, he wants new horseshoes. And wants me to put them on.” Bucky frowned at that 

“You don't know how.” 

“I think he secretly wants me to put the shoes on my own horse wrong and crash,” Steve admitted, laughing. Bucky didn’t share his amusement. 

“You know, I wouldn’t put it past him, the bastard.” he said “I’ll put them on your horse right now. Don’t want you to hurt yourself. I can sneak down and put them on the other horses later.” Steve frowned 

“Buck I can’t ask you to do that, If they see you they’ll blame me.” 

“So we’ll have to make sure they won't see me.” He said, “unless you want to put the shoes on their horses and watch them crash and die.” That made Steve chuckle 

“I’m not going to lie that certainly sounds like a good idea.” he joked “no doubt they’ll want me to bring their horses in tomorrow.” Bucky nodded 

“Well let me do yours right now so you don’t hurt yourself on your way back.” he clapped him on his thin bony shoulder and went out to fit his horse for the shoes. 

The next stop was the seamstress, Natasha. The three of them were ordering new formal wear for some sort of ball that was coming up. Steve had never paid it any mind. Natasha smiled when he walked in. 

“Morning, Steve.” 

“Morning.” he smiled and handed her the paper 

She sighed “come with another list of orders from them I suppose.” She said and he nodded. 

“Unfortunately. They just can’t seem to leave you alone at this time of year sorry about them, Tash.” She shook her head 

“Don’t you ever apologize for those fuckwads, go it? Their shitty actions are entirely their own.” She said firmly “You don’t deserve to live in that house you’re too good for them.” she said. 

Steve sighed “Nat…” 

“I’m being serious.” She said poking him in the chest. “You deserve so much better.” She said “You know, I really think you ought to go to that ball. You clean up so well it’ll really give them something to talk about.” 

He laughed “Me at a ball? Can you imagine! With a suit hanging off me like I've got 200 pounds of extra skin.” 

She looked at him “Steve you’re one of my best friends you know I can make you look absolutely stunning for no charge.” 

He shook his head. “I can’t ask you for that, Natasha. Besides, I’m sure I’ll be too tired and cold to attend a ball that night.” 

She huffed “Well I might just make you something anyway. You’d look wonderful in a well-tailored suit you know.” 

Steve paid her and left with sketches she had made of the dress and suits and thanked her. 

“Take care of yourself.” She said as he left 

“Thanks, Nat, I will.” 

He soon finished his shopping and went back to the house. He put away all the things he had bought and went to do more of his chores he looked down at the list 

Laundry  
Dishes  
Sweep the whole house  
Mop  
Wash the carpets  
Take the garbage to the dump  
Collect the eggs -  
Milk the cows -  
Prune the bushes  
Wash the curtains  
Tend to the horses  
Wash the windows  
Make the beds  
Scrub the bathrooms  
Prepare lunch and dinner  
Do the shopping -

He had put little tick marks to the right of the chores he had already completed and sighed and went upstairs to make the beds and collect the laundry.  
At the end of the day, when he was finally finished after dinner he sat down in front of the fire to try and warm his hands. He heard Patty talking excitedly about the ball coming up. She picked up the sketch from the table. 

“Oh, daddy look! It's going to be a beautiful dress.” Her father nodded dismissively. Steve thought it was a rather tacky dress but he wasn’t allowed to say anything, of course. It was a garish pink color adorned with as many bows and beads as could be fit on it. Natasha had done her best but even she couldn’t quite make the request to taste. 

Steve thought about her offer to make him some clothes maybe he could go. After all, maybe he could meet someone there. He was quickly pulled from his thoughts by a screech. He looked up and saw Patty up on a chair, screaming loudly at a mouse on the floor. 

“Ugh! Steve, you useless thing, kill it!” She screeched. Steve was tempted to pick it up and throw it at her, but he picked up a broom and swept it out into the yard. 

“Go on now shoo.” He said gently to the mouse who squeaked and skittered off. He felt Patty hit him upside the head.

“Why didn’t you kill the ugly little thing?!” She cried, Steve held his head. 

“Why would I kill it? It’s just a little mouse.” 

“That’s right! Just a little mouse eating through our clothes and food. My God, Steve, you can’t do anything right!” She shouted. 

Otis poked his head in “What did he do this time?” Steve sighed and just sat in his ‘bed’ in front of the fire as the two hurled insults at him. 

He closed his eyes and thought of his mother. Her warm smile and kind eyes. He thought of Sam, Bucky, and Natasha how they always tried to help him regardless of how he refused. He thought of the blurry memory of his father’s face from when he was a little boy. He thought of warm summer nights and cool fall mornings. Anything but the horrible insults thrown at him. 

A while passed and his uncle and cousins had soon gone to bed Steve curled up on the floor by the ashes and cried feeling as low and dirty as the ashes themselves. The dog came by and softly licked the tears from his face and he threw his arms around the pet crying and wheezing. The dog rested its head on his shoulder as he cried his tail thumping against the floor. Steve cried himself to sleep in a pile of ashes holding onto a dog. 

 

End of chapter one


	2. Everything's a Mess

It was a cycle that repeated itself every day. Steve woke up early, milked the cows, got the eggs, made breakfast, served it, occasionally went into town, and then completed whatever chores Morbus had assigned to him that day. At the end of the day, he thought more and more about the ball and what kinds of people would be there. It was open to anyone to attend and as much as he wanted to take Natasha up on her offer to tailor him a suit she was swamped with work and he didn’t want to give her any assignment he couldn’t pay for. He was looking through some old boxes as he was cleaning one day and found an old suit belonging to his father. It was incredibly outdated, but if Steve could fix it up he might be able to go to the ball in something presentable. He smiled and snuck it under an old floorboard in the kitchen. 

Night after night, after his uncle and cousins had gone to bed, Steve sat up working on the suit late into the night. He only had a few days but soon he had a beautiful suit which he had shaped to his body beautifully. He smiled seeing himself in the mirror. Morbus had said that if he could get something suitable to wear he could ride to the ball with them and oh was he going to show them! He even showed the suit to Natasha and she was impressed with his handiwork. 

The night of the ball Steve walked up from the kitchen in the suit and stood in front of his uncle.  
“I’m ready.” he simply said. He could see that all three of them were stunned. He went pale when he saw Morbus smirk. 

“Wow would you look at that.” he said, “but of course, a promise is a promise.” He said approaching “But what is this? How familiar does the fabric of that jacket look, Otis?” 

Otis’s eyes widened “You piece of shit!” he tore the jacket from Steve's back “You stole that old shirt of mine to make the lining of this didn’t you?” 

“But...but you threw that shirt away..” Steve said watching horrified as Otis tore the lining out.  
Patty looked him up and down “And this!” she said pointing to his tie “Was one of my scarves. You thieving bastard!” she tore it from his neck choking him in the process. He doubled over coughing and holding his throat. She had, of course, discarded the scarf to the attic where Steve had found it and used it to make the tie. 

They took turns ripping apart the suit made from their old clothes and scraps Steve had found and added to his father's suit. When it had been thoroughly destroyed Morbus smirked. 

“Now now you two come along. We can’t be late can we?” 

Steve felt tears well in his eyes as they left and he went to the fire sobbing holding his face in his hands. He shivered and coughed as he cried. 

“I’m sorry ma..” He whispered, “I can’t be strong like dad.” He saw a brilliant light behind him and turned to see someone standing there. He blinked “Hello?” 

He saw a woman standing there “Hello.” She said smiling she knelt down beside him. Steve sat up. 

“Who are you? Are you lost?” He asked wiping the tears from his face. She chuckled kindly.  
“No, no I’m right where I need to be.” She said, “I’ve been looking for you for a long time Steve.” Steve frowned softly 

“How do you know my name?” He asked and on impulse gave her some food and water. She refused the food with a smile 

“Dear, I am your godmother. My name is Peggy.” Steve blinked and frowned 

 

“Miss you must have the wrong person, I don’t have a godmother.” She shook her head. 

“I’ve been looking for you for a long time Steve.” She said, “Since you lost your father in fact.”  
“My... father?” He asked stunned. 

“That’s right dear but why are we talking? There is someone you’re destined to meet.” She took his hand and helped him up. She led him outside. “Now, now we need some way to get you there. And some people to help.” Steve frowned 

“I don’t understand. What are you doing?” He asked she smiled 

“You’ll understand in good time.” She gently patted his thin shoulder. She brought over a large rock “Now stand back dear let's see just how much I can help you.” she waved her hands and suddenly instead of a stone a carriage stood in front of them. She gathered up two mice and made them horses. The dog became a footman and a bat that had swooped overhead a coachman. Steve stared in awe. 

“.....How?” She smiled at him 

She didn’t answer his question, but simply smiled.“Now let's get you something to wear.” she waved her hands and suddenly he was in a beautiful fitted blue suit. He gasped looking at his reflection in the window. 

“My God…” Peggy smiled at that. He turned to look at her, “I’m so confused what is happening?” 

“Well you’re going to that ball, of course, I can’t have you miss an important night like this.” She said straightening his suit “Now you must listen to me when I say this.” She was suddenly serious. “This cannot be permanent. I cannot make a permanent change to your life, I’m not powerful enough. However, I can make sure this lasts until tonight at midnight.” Steve nodded. 

“What happens at midnight.” 

“Well by the twelfth stroke of the tower clock all of this will return to the way it was.” She said, “You have until then to save yourself from this place.” She said 

Steve nodded and hugged her tightly “Thank you so much.” She smiled at him 

“It’s nothing, dear, now get going!” She said as he stepped into the carriage. He waved, thanking her, as the carriage pulled away. 

Steve couldn’t believe this. He was going to a legitimate ball! He watched out the carriage window as the scenery of the town flew past him. He had never felt this fancy and didn’t know how to carry himself in these nice clothes or how to behave in a situation like this. He looked down and noticed the soft white leather shoes on his feet, which he hadn’t noticed before, he blinked noting how easily they slipped off his feet he ought to have put a little newspaper in them before he left but there was nothing he could do now. 

The carriage pulled up and he stepped out staring up at the castle in awe. A guard helped him step out of the carriage, and he began to walk up the stairs scrunching his toes so the shoes wouldn’t fall from his feet. He made his way through the incredible halls full of paintings of the royal family. He paused to look at them, he had always loved artwork. He saw the king standing with a stern face and his hand on his son’s shoulder. Steve took a closer look at the prince a young man with a defiant glint in his eyes even in the painting. He kept walking and soon found the ballroom he looked around. 

Tony sighed this was all his father’s idea, of course. He didn’t want to marry and he certainly wasn’t attracted to any of the people in the room at the moment. He rolled his eyes yawning as two rather ugly siblings bowed before him. As he straightened, he noticed what seemed to be another prince across the room. Or at least a member of the nobility the man was short, and thin but no less attractive in a fitted suit and gentle blonde hair that framed his cheeks. And… was that soot in his hair? He found himself slightly intrigued by this stranger. Once there was a break in the endless line of people with sticks up their asses being introduced to him, he approached the man who was looking around like he’d never seen a castle before. He jumped when he realized Tony was behind him. 

“H-Hello?” 

“Hi, you lost? You’re acting like you’ve never seen a castle before. But you’re dressed like nobility. What gives?”

“Oh.. uh…” 

“Don’t tell me you’re a servant who snuck out of the house!” he said laughing 

“S-something like that I guess,” Steve said with a self-deprecating smile 

“Well then, I suppose you’ll be a lot less of a pain than the rest of the people here. How about we sneak out and I can show you the rest of the palace. My treat.” Steve blushed at that. 

“Well, I guess so..” He said looking at him. Tony grabbed his hand and they snuck off without his father seeing. He noticed Steve looking around at the paintings. 

“Let's go to the gallery, I can tell you like that kind of thing,” he said Steve followed him smiling a little bit. How could this man read him like an open book?

Tony led him by the hand into a huge beautiful gallery full of portraits and landscapes. Steve looked around in awe. Tony smiled this was too much he was so cute. 

Steve was in his element soon rattling off endless questions about each work which Tony supplied to the best of his ability. Soon Steve pointed to a portrait of a woman. 

“Who is that?” Tony’s face fell. 

“My mother.” He said quietly Steve frowned a little. “She died two years ago.” Steve frowned

“I’m sorry.” Tony shook his head. 

“Not your fault. I can tell you’re not exactly familiar with things that happen around here.” Steve took his hand knowingly, and Tony blushed. 

“It’s okay.” Steve said, “My mother died about three years ago so I understand.” Tony looked up. 

“Then I know you’re not nobility.” he said, “We would have gone to the funeral.” Steve nodded. “How did you get here then?” 

“It’s… kind of a long story.” He said and Tony laughed 

“Alright, kid, if you say so.” He smiled and took steve’s hand again barely able to keep his eyes off him. Whenever this kid looked at him it felt like he had been hit by lightning. It sent shivers down his spine, he just wanted to sweep this boy up in his arms and spoil him till he never had ashes in his hair again. 

“I want to show you something,” Tony said dragging him off to another part of the castle. “Come on.” Soon they were standing in a huge workshop of some kind Steve looked around 

“What is all this?” Tony smiled 

“This is my metal shop.” 

“You have your own metal shop?” Steve asked looking around at all the different inventions and charts hanging up on the walls. 

“Yep.” A strange robotic creature rolled over to them and chirped “Hi Dum-E.” Tony said and Steve frowned. 

“You named it Dummy?” 

“Yep. and that one is U.” He said pointing at the robot’s twin. U rolled up to Steve and chirped tugging on his sleeve. Steve smiled at that. 

“Hi, bud.” He said patting his head. U chirped happily poking steve’s face with his mechanical hand. Tony smiled.

“He likes you,” Tony said Dum-E poked at steve's arm. 

“I like them too, they’re cute.” He said. Tony couldn’t stop watching him, he was absolutely beautiful. Tony approached him, looking into his eyes. Steve looked up blushing softly as Tony looked into his soft blue eyes. 

“How about we… go back to my room?” Tony said grinning his hand on steve's hip. Steve looked up at him his eyes widely dilated. 

“I’d love that.” He said smiling a little. Tony leaned close their lips about to meet. 

Suddenly, Steve heard the tower bell and looked up scared. 

“What’s wrong?” Tony said softly. 

“I...I have to go.” He said. Tony frowned 

“What?” 

“I- I’m sorry!” Steve said kissing his cheek before he ran. 

“What? I don’t even know your name!” Steve ran from the room and down the stairs. Tony tried to run after him. 

Steve dropped one of the white shoes from his feet in the rush and didn’t go back for it. He jumped in the carriage as it sped away. Tony was left there at the bottom of the stairs staring after them as Steve looked back sadly. He wished he could have stayed, there were tears in his eyes. He thought to himself ‘I love you’ as he was swept away. 

End of chapter two


	3. All These Sorrows I Have Seen

Now, steve was back at home in his torn apart suit sitting on top of a rock with several mice, a dog, and a disgruntled bat now flying off into the trees. He stood up and noticed something he looked down and saw that one pristine white leather shoe was still on his foot he smiled. And picked it up he went to hide it under the floorboard and make it look like he had been sleeping the whole time. 

Several hours later he was woken by the sound of Morbus storming in through the front entrance. 

“How dare he! How dare he refuse my beautiful son and daughter!” he screamed. Throwing a glass against the wall. “Steve!” he yelled “Clean this mess up, you useless mistake!” Steve came upstairs, still in the tattered clothes and began to sweep up the mess from the floor. 

Morbus stomped to the dining room. “Boy! Get me a bottle of whisky and a new glass!” He yelled at Steve as he swept the glass from the floor, cutting his hand in the process. Steve did his hands shaking softly as he prepared the drink and the glass for him. 

As he set the bottle and cup in front of him Morbus grabbed his face by the chin and took a long look at him before shaking his head and dropping him. Steve let out a deep breath and went back downstairs. 

He sat back down in his bed of ashes and picked up a piece of paper. He used a bit of charcoal from the fire to draw Tony the soft lines of his face and his warm hands. He began to daydream as he put the drawing under his floorboard imagining how his life could have changed if he had been able to stay. He got a pair of clothes that were not torn to shreds and changed before falling back asleep beside the embers. 

The next morning, steve answered the door to a man holding a letter he blinked. 

“Can I help you?” 

“Yes, were any residents of this household attending the ball at the palace last night?” asked the guard. Steve simply nodded. 

“Yes.” 

“Ah well, please give them this message.” the man said. “The prince is seeking the young man with blonde hair and blue eyes that he met last night. He would like all who were in attendance to make their way back to the palace so that he may see and recognize the man he met.” Steve blinked and nodded as the man continued “All are welcome to bring their servants as many people may have to stay overnight. All are to come to the palace tomorrow morning.” Steve hid a smile. He knew tony would be looking for him among the servants when he got a chance. 

“Yes, I’ll let the family here know.” he said “thank you.” The guard left and steve barely contained himself. He took a deep breath and went to tell Morbus. 

Morbus nodded when steve told him. 

“Ah well I suppose you’ll have to come along too, then.” He said. “I can’t remember anything of last night.” steve nodded as he gave Morbus his usual breakfast in bed and received his list of chores. Steve was so relieved that Morbus didn’t remember though he was careful not to let his face betray his surprise. 

As the day passed he couldn’t stop thinking of Tony. His wit, and charm but more his warmth and kindness. He couldn’t quite believe that Tony hadn’t cared that Steve was just a servant. Really, Tony had thought nothing of it. Maybe he had been with servants in the past? Steve found himself wistfully daydreaming and the day going by rather quickly as he thought about the warm brown eyes and the gentle hand on his waist. He had always heard fairy tale stories about falling in love after just one night. But truly, they had talked, and laughed, and gotten to know each other at least a little bit. 

As he lay down that night he waited for his uncle and cousins to fall asleep and imagined Tony’s arms wrapped around him, keeping him warm and safe from the abuse he had suffered through the years. He imagined his mother’s face smiling down on him, finally able to know her son would be safe. 

The next morning, he got up early and got things ready to go to the palace packing up clothes for all of them and getting things ready in the family carriage. He would have to hold onto the back of the carriage and act as a coachman to help the family in and out of it. 

As they were ready to go to the palace, Otis pushed him into the mud laughing at him as he got in. Steve brushed the mud off of his clothes as much as he could before they set off. He held on tight as his thin arms could so he wouldn’t fall off on the bumpy road as they rode to the palace. He thought about the night of the ball and closed his eyes trying to imagine he was there again as tony pulled him through the palace and he stared at the beautiful works of art. He had snuck the white leather shoe into his things he was taking with him he would try and meet up with Tony in secret and show him the shoe, knowing Tony would have its match and they would both fit Steve with a little room to spare. 

They got to the palace and Steve was dismissed to the servants quarters he set his things next to the cot they had for him it was certainly nicer than sleeping in the ashes next to the fire place. He went to wander around the palace his pack still on his back he wandered the halls with impressive paintings and remembered walking them with Tony. He smiled softly as he remembered how they had talked and talked he suddenly heard a voice from behind him. 

“You’re…” Steve turned around to see tony standing there he blushed. 

“Tony..” Tony looked at him. 

“You need to prove it to me first. Prove to me you’re the person I met at the ball.” He said his eyes hard and cold. “Too many people have tried to convince me and-” Steve cut him off by pulling the shoe out of his bag. Tony’s eyes widened as he saw it he drew closer and steve looked up into his eyes. Tony smiled softly. 

“I found you.” He hugged Steve tightly. “You still haven’t told me your name.” 

“My name is Steve.” He said hugging back tightly, hardly able to believe this. Tony looked him over. 

“Come on. let's go announce it.” He said “Announce that they can go home.” He said he saw Steve's face fall. “What’s wrong?” 

Steve quietly explained that his uncle and cousins were there .

“They hate me.” he said “I can’t… I can’t do this in front of them.” he was panicking. Tony held him. 

“I won’t let them hurt you if that’s what you’re scared of.” He said. “If they laid a hand on you they’d be immediately put to death.” Steve's eyes widened  
“What?!” Tony looked at him. 

“Unless you object to that?” He said. Steve nodded. 

“They’re horrible but my god, they don’t deserve to die of all things.” He said Tony frowned. 

“Steve, what did they do to you?” he asked gentle but firm. 

Steve took a deep breath and finally explained his life story. How his mother and father had died and his uncle and cousins had come to live in his house. He told Tony about how they had taken everything from him, made him a servant in his own home. He explained how the ashes that had been in his hair when they first met were because the only warm place to sleep was in front of the dying embers by the fireplace. Tony held him tighter. 

“They’re never going to do that to you again. Or anyone else for that matter.” He said. “They realize abuse is an offense punishable by prison right?” he said Steve's eyes widened at that. “And before you start arguing with me on that,” Tony said “Don’t forget that I can see the bruises on your arms.” He said his hands running down steve’s arm gently. “Can you imagine if they do this to someone else?” 

Steve relented. “I… Alright. If it’ll protect other people from being hurt by them, then I suppose it’s worth it.” 

Tony nodded “You’re damn right, it's worth it.” He hugged Steve tightly. “Let’s go tell them.” He said taking his hand. 

They walked out holding hands. Steve was nervous but tony rubbed the back of his hand gently with his thumb. Tony got the rooms attention he explained that he had found who he was looking for. Steve watched nervously there was a loud shout from the crowd. 

“HOW DARE YOU!” it was Morbus he tried to run to the stage but the guards caught him. “YOU FILTHY BRAT!” he continued to scream insults and attacks at steve. Tony held Steve’s hand tighter as steve tried to back up. The guards escorted Morbus, Otis, and Patty out as they screamed, struggling and hurling insults and abuse at Steve. Tony took steve’s hand and led him away Steve kept his head down not making eye contact with anyone. Tony had his arm securely around his waist as he brought him to be cleaned up. 

To Steve, it was very weird to be bathed by servants when he himself had been one less than five minutes ago. They washed him, much to his embarrassment and dressed him in silk lounge clothes. He thanked them, and they seemed unused to that. Steve left the room and saw Tony standing there with his father. Howard regarded Steve briefly. 

“Son, I quite honestly couldn’t care less who you marry or what you do with your life. I just don’t think you’d be a good ruler on your own. You need a co ruler I don’t give a shit who it is.” He said to tony, dismissively. Howard walked away leaving the two of them alone in the hallway. Tony sighed and shook his head. 

“Don’t worry about him, he’s a stern bastard sometimes.” Steve nodded 

“I gathered that. Is he always like that?” Tony shrugged “More or less. Well, let's get some food into you. You look like you’ve been starved.” Steve blushed and followed him. 

Several weeks later, Morbus, Patty, and Otis were being thrown in prison. 

Several years later, Steve and Tony got married. Their married life was long and happy and once Howard died, they ruled together as kings and adopted two heirs from the village. They were well-liked rulers and the kingdom was at peace under them. 

End of chapter three.


End file.
